Well, my son has decided he would like to have his own rabbitry, so we have started with Holland Lops and Jersey Woolies.
Years ago I had a tattoo kit for my goats, but soon decided tattooing was NOT for me, so I quickly started microchipping which is VERY simple and not painful. The tattoo kit was sold at auction.
Knowing how a goat responds to tattooing is enough for me NOT to want to tattoo a rabbit!!!
We do not have any that need tattooed right now, but I am wondering if anyone here microchips? Will the ARBA accept registries with microchips?
That would be a new one to me. And I have been an ARBA member for 10 years. Whenever I have registered a rabbit it had to have a readable tattoo in it\'s left ear. And than they get another tattoo in the other ear from the registrar. That would be a neat idea beacause you could put a lot more information in the chip than you can in the ear. But I have not seen it yet. Also welcome to the group!
Tony Artist, Artist Rabbitry, Indiana.
http://www.artistrabbitry.com
Hi Tony! Thanks for the welcome!! I live in Indiana too!! How neat is that!!
Well, I just e-mailed the association and am waiting to hear back on the microchipping.
With the microchipping, the nice thing is that all you have to do is push the botton on the scanner and whallaa, the number shows up. With the goats, I put this in the tail web, so when I go to health checks, I can leave the animal in the cage and still be able to show that number without the hastle of getting the animal out. I\'m not sure where one would place this in a rabbit? It\'s very tiny. I place this in the tail web to avoid migration to other areas of the body. Is there a place on a bunny to put one that won\'t move about under the skin to far?
The only thing that is on a microchip is a unique number issued by the company- the company can track back the owner. I\'m wondering how this would interfere with the associations numbering in the right ear? That may be of concern for them. Do the registars tattoo this themselves? I wonder if they may be able just to affix the microchip number to the paperwork and have it deamed registered that way, through the office?
Another thing is cost. I can get the chips for around $9.00 each, which with my goats, I end up buying about 10 chips a year. With a large rabbitry that may add up rather quickly, but I think we would remain small for it to be affordable yet, and I would \'guess\' buyers would be willing to pay the extra 10 on a purchase for this feature. I know with the goats, buyers really enjoy it.
ARBA does not recognize microchips as identification for purposes of their registration and exhibition system. I suppose one could install a microchip for their personal purposes, but every individual rabbit that is entered in a show MUST be permanenty tattooed in the left ear. The right ear is reserved for the registration number should the rabbit become registered. I have seen it done both ways - registrar placing the tattoo or the owner doing that.
Due to the cost involved, I do not forsee ARBA ever changing the current practice.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Ahh.
Does the ARBA have their rules and regulations listed online? Or just in literature?
Well, that\'s ashame.
I know that rabbits are not currently enlisted in the NAID program, but microchipping would be very helpful if rabbits do get thrown into that system. I could only imagine having to put a tag into their ears!!
ARBA lists their requirements in their publications:
Standard of Perfection and the
ARBA Yearbook.
I really don\'t agree that it\'s a shame. Some breeders have HUNDREDS of rabbits. Even myself, with a relatively small breeding operation of 25 breeding animals and a turn-over of close to 100/year (this does not include the total production of at least 420 kits/year), would be hard-pressed to justify the expense of $9/animal.
Rabbits are not currently included in the NAIS program. If they ever were, the tattoos would serve as the USDA ID system. Rabbits would fall under the guidelines for poultry and there are no plans to microchip them either.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Yes, with the cost of rabbits in the long run, I agree for most, microchipping would not be cost effective. To each their own.
I would however appreciate it. I\'m looking at quality and not quantity with ease of admistering regardless of cost.
The NAID program is hard pressed to allow tattoos in livestock. It takes too long to track down an owner with this method. The ear tags they are recommending are similiar to microchips showing tracable info instantly. In the grand sceem of things though, rabbits are not as worrysome at this time, but with our meat being on a high monitoring system, I can bet rabbits will be put in the program at one time or another.
I am in contact with Dept. of Ag representatives here in Oregon who are working hand in hand with the USDA in implementing the NAIS. Not all species of animals will be required to be microchipped. Goats are among those, however.
The reason rabbits are not currently included in the NAIS is because they do not fall under the purposes for which the NAIS was implemented - the ability to track potential food animals should a disease, either naturally ocurring or intentionally introduced, that has the potential of affecting human health, occur. The USDA does not, at this time, feel that rabbits are produced in sufficient numbers or carry diseases that would have such an impact. If rabbits ever were placed in the NAIS, they will fall under the guidelines for poultry.
Tattooing rabbits is not difficult. It is infinitely easier than tattooing goats. (I\'ve tattooed both.) I\'m sure there is a rabbit breeder in your area, proficient in tattooing that will be happy to show you how.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Yes, goats can just have a tattoo at this time as long as they are registered with an association.They really haven\'t made things difficult at this point and time for producers, the program is just up and running.
Because of the worry of mad cow and other diseases, it has led many to look at alternative meat, and I bet the sales of rabbit meat has went up because of this trend.
I\'m sure tattooing is very simple, however I choose not too. I\'d rather give a hundred shots, deliver a hundred babies or disbud a goat before I would do it again!!
When the time comes, if the ARBA deffinately won\'t accept the chip, I will let my son decide what he wants to do. We have many supportive people in our rabbit club who I\'m sure would be more than willing to tattoo for him or show him how.
This is an area that I will let him tend to!
I\'m sure there are lots of folks that will be happy to help your son. Good luck to him!
Charlcie